5 players to watch out for in Real Madrid's upcoming matches

With Cristiano Ronaldo ending his nine glorious years at Bernabeu, the club's dynamics have changed drastically. His move to Juventus has shattered Real's fans all over the world. But all is not lost. Real Madrid has a reservoir of some of the best players in the world. The five players who grabbed attention from the squad this season are remarkable in their field of expertise.

#1 Gareth Bale

One of the fastest footballers in the world, the Welshman is Real Madrid's most expensive transfer till date. Bale joined Real in the 2013- 14 season. Stated as one of the most dangerous left wingers in the world, he also takes on the role of a striker and center-forward efficiently.

Though he manned the right flank given Ronaldo was on the left one, Bale has an opportunity to flourish. With his career finally back on track after series of injuries, a lot is expected from the Welshman.

#2 Marco Asensio

Regarded as Ronaldo's replacement, Marco Asensio has performed remarkably in his past seasons with RM. Once given out on loan to FC Espanyol, the Spaniard has been irreplaceable at Bernabeu. He is known for his crazy long-range goals. Asensio possesses great pace, special awareness, and understanding of attacking transitions.

He often involves his teammates to create favorable situations for the team. His runs are mostly down the wing, and he is an precise shooter. Let's see how Lopetegui positions him in the future fixtures.

#3 Luka Modric

Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid - UEFA Super Cup

The Croatian midfielder is an all-rounder. With the iconic no.10 jersey, he is said to be one of the best and effective midfielders in the world. He is considered the master of pre-assist thus known as the playmaker.

He has the ability to pass the ball accurately across long or short distances. Very precise in his techniques he is known for his mastery of footballing fundamentals, tactical strategy, and execution.

The winner of this year's Golden Ball for his performance as the captain of the Croatian Football team in the FIFA world cup and a contender for 2017-18 Ballon d'Or Modric is certainly someone to watch for this season.

#4 Karim Benzema

The Frenchman has made his mark in the team over the years. Not only he scored for the team, he assisted his teammates many times. With no big signing for Real this season who could replace Ronaldo, the pressure is on the forward.

As per Spanish media, 'Benzema is Lopetegui's no. 9'. He is versatile and often plays in offensive positions and has been used in the wing. The centre-forward has scored 195 goals for the team and is extremely important to the team given his amazing performance in the last season.

#5 Marcelo Vieira

One of Real's beloved player, Marcelo brings creative energies to the team. He is considered one of the world's finest left-backs. He has some crazy touch and trapping skills. One of the significant trap was in the 2018 UCL semis, Bayern Vs Real where Marcelo stopped a sloppy pass from Raphael Varane with one touch.

Everyone went crazy after the incident. He is also one of the few defenders in the world who can attack, strike and score when needed. During Ronaldo's time at Bernabeu, both of them paired up and scored many goals. They had an amazing connection. With Ronaldo gone it will be interesting to see how Marcelo fares.

Apart from this Real Madrid has plenty of experience in the form of Ramos and Kroos. Rest of the team includes formidable players like Isco, Varane, Casemiro, Carvajal and many more. With the new signings of the season i.e Courtois, Vinicius Jr and Mariano let's see how this Ronaldo-less season turns out for the European champions.

Edited by Shambhu Ajith